Module ARA3107 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
ARA3107: Politics of Semi-democratic and Authoritarian Countries
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
Introduction: types of authoritarian regimes (i.e. military rule, sultanistic rule, one-party, personalist rule); hybrid regimes; origins of authoritarianism
Internal politics of semi-democratic/authoritarian regimes: political economy of authoritarianism; elections under authoritarianism; redistribution, patronage, and welfare politics; informal institutions and civil society; Islam and authoritarianism
Legitimisation of rule: public goods provision; repression and order
Challenges to authoritarian rule: popular resistance; diffusion and breakdown; regime durability and collapse; transitions to democracy; authoritarian upgrading; succession and the transfer of power
Conclusion: discussion of contemporary movements for democratization; characteristics of authoritarian versus democratic regimes
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | 256 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 44 | 22 x 2 hour seminars. You will need to complete all readings prior to seminar and be ready to participate. On some occasions you will be asked to make presentations. |
| Guided independent study | 256 | Reading and research; completing assignments; preparing for assessments. |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay Plans (x2) | 500 words each | 1-3, 5, 6, 8, 9 | Written |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay (x2) | 60 | 2000 words | 1-3, 5-6, 8-9 | Written |
| Book Review | 30 | 1500 words | 1-3, 6, 8, 9 | Written |
| Attendance and in-class participation | 10 | Assessed weekly during the 2 hour class | 1-3, 4-7 | Written (once a term) |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (2000 words) | 1-3, 5-6, 8-9 | August/September reassessment period |
| Book Review | Book Review (1500 words) | 1-3, 5, 8, 9 | August/September reassessment period |
| Attendance and in-class participation | No re-assessment, please see below |
Re-assessment notes
Students in this module will be awarded 0.5% toward their final module mark for every class that they attend and are willing participants during class discussion – up to a maximum of 10 percentage points. There are 11 sessions per term and this module runs across 2 terms. All students are permitted to miss two classes across two terms; for these absences there will be no penalty. This means that students should attend 20 classes across 2 terms (0.5% for attendance and participation per class) unless they have legitimate and documented reasons for not doing so. If students miss class for legitimate and documented reasons (i.e. sick, family emergency) then they will still be awarded the relevant percentage point(s) toward their final module mark. Being a willing participant means that the student participates in class discussion either as an entire class or in small group discussion. This scheme will exclude students whose ILPs suggest that attending class and/or participating is difficult. For these students, they will be awarded the relevant percentage points even if they miss more than two classes and/or do not participate.
